From Britain to Latvia via Germany, northern Europe is facing a wave of heat and drought of unusual duration, which is fueling many fiery fronts as well as concern among farmers.
In central Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany, the largest fire in 18 years broke out earlier this month in a wooded area, destroying nearly 800 acres of forest. The eastern part of the country as well as a part of northern Germany are threatened by the resurgence due to the lack of rain for weeks.
Following the droughts in May and June, farmers and especially grain producers in Brandenburg, a state that encloses Berlin, sounded the alarm, warning that the year's harvest would be reduced by 20-50%.
The meteorological services forecast record temperatures for today, which could reach or even exceed 34 degrees Celsius in the region and the heat wave is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
In Poland, about 91.000 crops were hit by drought in the spring, according to the agriculture ministry. Speaking of "unprecedented" damage, Warsaw requested financial assistance from the European Union.
In Latvia and Lithuania, farmers are facing prolonged drought, the worst in decades, according to local officials. Latvia declared a state of emergency in June in the agricultural sector, asking the EU to disburse agricultural subsidies before the scheduled date.
In the western part, a huge fire that broke out on Wednesday resulted in the evacuation of a village and firefighters are still fighting the flames today.
Further west, in much of Sweden, such as its neighbors Denmark, southern Norway and southern Finland, mercury has risen to record levels for these countries. "It's the worst thing I've ever experienced," said Jacob Gustavson, a 47-year-old producer north of Stockholm.
The UK could experience the hottest summer in years if temperatures remain above average, according to the British Meteorological Agency. Due to the drought, the worst recorded in early summer since 1961, the vegetation in Hyde Park, as in other city parks, has taken on a yellowish color.
"The ground is extremely dry at the moment," said Danny Cotton, chief of the British capital's fire department. "I never thought I would say that, but we pray for it to rain," she added.
At the same time, the heat wave has increased the flow of patients to hospitals. "Especially for the elderly, who need hospital care in case of dehydration," said Dr. Nick Scriven, a representative of the intensive care unit staff.
In fact, some Britons did not hesitate to place bets: who will stop first? The heat wave or British Prime Minister Theresa May, called upon to deal with the Brexit turmoil? This is the question posed by PaddyPower, one of the largest bookmakers in the country.
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